Turner, Joseph Mallord William

folio (412 x 274mm.), 65 (of 71 published) etched mezzotint and aquatint plates (most in the early states) by J.M.W. Turner, J.C. Easling, Charles Turner, William Say, Robert Dunkarton, Thomas Hodgetts, William Annis, George Clint, F.C. Lewis, Henry Dawe, Thomas Lupton, and S.W. Reynolds after Turner, printed in coloured and black inks, contemporary green morocco gilt by J. MacKenzie, covers with deep borders of thistle and leaf tools, foliate corner- and centre-pieces, gilt board edges, roll-tooled gilt turn-ins, spine gilt in compartments, lettered in one, the others decorated with thistle and leaf tools, gilt edges, occasional light spotting and browning, one plate (St Catherine's Hill, near Guilford) with small inkmark in lower margin, light spotting on covers, lower cover and spine lightly faded  

From the library of Beriah Botfield at Longleat, sale at Christie's, 13th June 2002, lot 120

Lowndes pp.2722-2723; W.G. Rawlinson, Turner's Liber studiorum (London, 1878)

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

A truly monumental work, taking rank with the highest productions of Turner’s genius (Rawlinson, p.iii).

The prints collected in the Liber studiorum -- the title deliberately echoes Claude Lorrain's Liber veritatis (see Lot 61) -- first appeared in 1807; during the next twelve years 71 of an intended 100 prints were irregularly issued. Turner originally employed the engraver Charles Turner to add the mezzotint under his direction but a difference of opinion after only twenty plates meant that Turner finally used eight more engravers to complete the remaining 51 prints as well as mezzotinting some himself. The resulting prints, classified as architectural, pastoral, marine, historical and mountains (the corresponding initial letters appear on each plate above the subject) show Turner’s mastery of the medium and stand among the most innovative mezzotints in the history of printmaking.

The 65 plates contained in the present copy are numbers 1-9, 11-15, 17-27, 29-44, 46-54, 56-60 and 62-71 of which 2 are in Rawlinson's first published state, 36 in the second, 22 in the third and 5 in fourth or later states.